The Cole Memo

A new bill filed in the Illinois House aims to expand access to medical cannabis and increase the number of plants residents can legally grow at home.

According to the synopsis for the legislation, House Bill 3498 (HB3498), introduced by Rep. Rita Mayfield on February 7, 2025, proposes amendments to Illinois’ cannabis laws. The bill removes restrictions that previously barred individuals with certain criminal convictions from becoming caregivers and increases the number of patients a caregiver can support from one to ten

Additionally, HB3498 seeks to amend the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act by expanding home cultivation limits. Under the proposed changes, residents would be allowed to grow up to 12 cannabis plants per household, up from the current limit of five.

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Illinois to Open Medical to All Dispensaries + Allow Outdoor Grows for All | E309 – The Cole Memo

Illinois is moving forward with several significant cannabis policy changes. Adult-use dispensaries will soon be able to apply for licenses to serve medical cannabis patients, while newly proposed rules from the Illinois Department of Agriculture would allow licensed cultivation centers and craft growers to grow cannabis outdoors under specific conditions. Cole breaks down both developments, including what dispensaries would need to do to obtain a medical license, why outdoor cultivation has been a years-long issue in Illinois, and the state's proposal to limit outdoor-grown cannabis to extraction. Plus, a rare glimpse inside Illinois' Bureau of Cannabis Testing laboratory. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/08/14/e309/

1. Illinois to Open Medical to All Dispensaries + Allow Outdoor Grows for All | E309 33:02
2. Cannabis Access, Hemp Politics, and the Rise of Flock Cameras | E308 50:45
3. The Hemp Debate: Cannabis, Decriminalization, and Where We Go From Here | E307 02:17:39
4. Independent Candidate Collin Corbett on His Campaign for Illinois Governor | E306 57:43
5. Illinois Cannabis: What Comes After the Omnibus? | E305 01:30:03